Drive systems and circuit for
open loop control
Closed loop control of stepping
motor.
Unit – 5
STEPPING MOTORS
Syllabus
• Constructional features
• principle of operation
• modes of excitation
Why stepper motor
• The motor has full torque at stand still
• Excellent response at starting and
reversing
• Very reliable because no brush contacts
• The wide range of speed control can be
possible
• Open loop control is reliable
Construction and operating
principle
Types of stepper motor
• With permanent magnet
– Enhanced hybrid
– Permanent Magnet Step Motors
– Hybrid Step Motors
– Disc magnet motors
• Without permanent magnet
– Variable Reluctance Motors
Variable stepper motor F-View
Variable stepper motor S-View
Generalized construction
• Consist of multi tooth rotor with wound
stator
• By energizing the stator rotor will
magnetized
• Rotor moves when the stator are attracted
by stator poles
Variable reluctance stepper
motor
Energizing sequence
• Anti-clockwise rotation can be produced by
exciting the stator windings in the sequence:
A B C A B C A ..
• And clockwise rotation can be produced by the
sequence:
A C B A C B A ..
• If the windings A B C A are excited in turn, the
rotor moves by one rotor tooth pitch. Thus if p is
the number of rotor teeth then the step angle αs
is given by:
αs = 360/3p = 120/p
BLDC or Variable reluctance
stepper motor
Merits and demerits
Merits
• High torque to inertia ratio
• Low motor inertia
• Capable of high speeding range
Demerits
• Exhibits middle rang resonance under
some conditions
Variable reluctance motor cross
section motor
Permanent magnet stepper
motor
Permanent magnet stepper motor
(cont..)
General construction
• These type of motors are low cost low
resolution motor
• The rotor has no teeth magnetized by
alternating north and south pole
• By increasing magnetic flux density the
torque has been increased
Energizing sequence
• Clockwise rotation can be produced by exciting
the stator windings in the sequence:
A+ B+ A- B- A+ B+ A- ..
• and anti-clockwise rotation can be produced by
the sequence:
A+ B- A- B+ A+ B- A- ..
• If the windings A+ B+ A- B- A+ are excited in
turn, the rotor moves by one rotor N pole pitch.
Thus if p is the number of rotor N poles then the
step angle αs is given by
αs = 360/4p = 90/p
Merits and Demerits
Merits
• Less tendency to resonance
• High holding torque capability
• High stepping rate
Demerits
• High inertia and weight due to presence of
PM
• Performance affected by change in
magnet strength
Final cross section view of
permanent magnet stepper motor
Hybrid stepper motor
Hybrid stepper motor (cont…)
Hybrid stepper motor (cont…)
Energizing sequence
• Anti-clockwise rotation can be produced by
exciting the stator windings in the sequence:
A+ B+ A- B- A+ B+ A- ..
• and clockwise rotation can be produced by the
sequence:
A+ B- A- B+ A+ B- A- ..
• If the windings A+ B+ A- B- A+ are excited in
turn, the rotor moves by one rotor tooth pitch.
Thus if p is the number of rotor teeth then the
step angle αs is given by:
αs = 360/4p = 90/p
Generalized construction
• It combines the features of VR and PM
stepper motor
• The rotor is teethed with an axially
magnetized concentric magnet around the
shaft
• The teeth on the rotor help guiding the
magnetic flux; this leads to increased
performance
Merits and Demerits
Merits
• Very high torque and inertia ratio
• Capable of high stepping rates
• Less tendency to resonate
Demerits
• More complex in construction
Final cross section view
Photo graphic view of hybrid
motor
Modes of excitation
• Single phase excitation
• Two phase excitation
• Half phase excitation
• Micro stepping (or) mini stepping mode
Single phase excitation or full step
mode
Single phase excitation mode
Single phase excitation (cont…)
• Winding A, A’ energized so single step
operation is performed
A B C θ
1 0 0 0°
0 1 0 30°
0 0 1 60°
1 0 0 90°
Two phase excitation mode or half
step mode
Two phase excitation
• Winding B, B’ energized so single step
operation is performed
A B C θ
1 0 0 0°
1 1 0 15°
0 1 1 45°
1 0 1 75°
1 1 0 105°
Half step excitation mode
Half step excitation mode
Half step excitation
• Winding C, C’ energized so single step operation
is performed
A B C θ
1 0 0 0°
1 1 0 15°
0 1 0 30°
0 1 1 45°
0 0 1 60°
1 0 1 75°
1 0 0 90°
Mini stepping (or) micro
stepping
• Very small displacement of the rotor
• Both winding A and B excited rotor in
middle
Open and Closed Loop Control
All control systems contain three elements:
(i) The control
(ii) Current Amplifiers
(iii) Servo Motors
• The control is the Brain - reads instruction
• Current amplifier receives orders from brain and sends
required signal to the motor
• Signal sent depends on the whether Open or Closed loop
control is used.
Open Loop Control
For Open Loop Control:
• The controller is told where the output device needs to be
• Once the controller sends the signal to motor it does not
receive feedback to known if it has reached desired position
•Open loop much cheaper than closed loop but less accurate
Open Loop Control
Closed Loop Control
• Provided feedback to the control unit telling it the actual
position of the motor.
• This actual position is found using an encoder.
• The actual position is compared to the desired.
• Position is changed if necessary
The Encoder
• Encoders give the control unit information as to the actual
position of the motor.
• Light shines through a slotted disc, the light sensor counts
the speed and number of breaks in the light.
• Allows for the calculation of speed, direction and distance
travelled.
Closed Loop Control
• The desired value is compared to the actual value.
• Comparator subtracts actual from desired.
• The difference is the error which is fed to the controller
which generates a control action to eliminate the error.
On - off control
Simplest closed loop:
• When an error is identified the system goes into full
corrective state.
• Can tend to over shoot desired.
• Stops and falls below desired so it never reaches desired
Proportional control
• Rubber band effect - greater the distance from the
desired more corrective force applied.
• As it approaches the desired, less correction.
• Tend to reduce over shoot but slower reaction.
• Never reaches desired - offset
Proportional control
System attempts to calculate a Gain K that will try and
stabilise the system at the desired value.
